


#NationalHugDay

by Ralkana



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Fluff, Getting Together, Holidays, M/M, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-22
Updated: 2016-01-22
Packaged: 2018-05-15 12:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,360
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5784925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ralkana/pseuds/Ralkana
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What's the point of knowing about weird holidays if you don't share the wealth?</p>
            </blockquote>





	#NationalHugDay

**Author's Note:**

> I made it before midnight! I don't care what Ao3's clock says! :)

Phil looked up from the intel he was studying when Clint set something on the corner of his desk. It was a maple bar - the dough looked fluffy and inviting, and the glaze practically glowed. Phil's mouth watered, and he raised a questioning eyebrow. 

"National Donut Day, boss," Clint said, his words garbled around a bite of his chocolate twist. He shrugged and took a swig of his coffee. "Figured it was as good an excuse as any for a donut."

"Thank you, Barton," Phil said with a small smile, reaching for the donut. He hummed in pleasure at the first sweet bite.

Clint shrugged again, but his ears were pink. "What's the point of knowing about weird holidays if you don't share the wealth?"

 

**~~~~~**

 

In July, it was a candy bar shoved into Phil's hands as Clint jogged past him in the corridor.

"National Junk Food Day," he called over his shoulder, racing toward the waiting quinjet.

The other agents in the hall glanced between Clint and Phil, mystified. Phil merely tucked the candy bar into one of the files he was carrying and continued on his way to the command center.

In August, Phil returned to his office after a meeting with Nick and found a small, square box on his desk. Clint was curled up, asleep, on Phil's office couch. Phil opened the box to see what looked like a gourmet cupcake - a light colored cake topped with a swirl of orange frosting and a slice of candied orange.

"National Creamsicle Day," Clint mumbled sleepily, his face still smashed into the back of the couch. "Figured -- " he broke off with a yawn. "Figured this would travel better."

Phil savored his treat to the familiar sound of Clint's light snores, muffled by the fabric of the couch.

In September, it was a greasy, messy, _perfect_ bacon cheeseburger for National Cheeseburger Day, and in October, a container of amazing spaghetti and meatballs Phil was pretty sure was homemade, for World Pasta Day.

"Is it my turn yet to find a weird holiday?" Phil asked, scraping sauce off the bottom of the box with his fork. He was beginning to wonder if he should be reciprocating with the treats.

"How do you do that?" Clint asked, ignoring Phil's question -- and giving Phil his answer. Phil wasn't sure _why_ Clint kept bringing him food, but it seemed to make Clint happy, so who was he to put a stop to it? Keeping SHIELD'S assets happy was his job, and if he took particular pleasure in making sure this particular asset was smiling, well, no one had to know.

"Do what?" he asked before popping the last bite of garlic bread into his mouth.

"Eat an entire plate of spaghetti and not get a single speck of sauce anywhere on your suit!"

Phil smirked. Clint's t-shirt was a disaster and Phil strongly suspected Clint had sauce in his hair.

"Old Jedi trick," he said mysteriously, and Clint snorted.

 

**~~~~~**

 

There was National Cake Day in November, and National Cookie Day in December, and Phil thoroughly enjoyed both of them.

It was nearing the end of January when Clint followed Phil into Phil's office one morning. They had no meeting scheduled, so Phil found himself suddenly anticipating a treat, but Clint's hands were empty, and he wasn't carrying a bag.

Clint stood uncertainly in the middle of Phil's office as Phil closed the door and turned expectantly back to him.

"Um. Today's... today's holiday is a little different," Clint said, his fingers tapping against his leg.

Phil's first instinct was to say he looked shifty, but at second glance, he decided that wasn't the right word for it. Clint looked... nervous, like this was _important_ , and Clint had a tendency to do _important_ badly when he thought about it for too long.

"I'm not going to believe you if you try to tell me today is National Get Out of Doing Paperwork Day," Phil said dryly, surprising a laugh out of Clint. It burst the sudden tension like a bubble and left Clint grinning at him, beautiful eyes sparkling with mischief and humor.

The smile slowly faded, and Clint took a deep breath. "It's... uh... it's National Hug Day. Today. Is, I mean. The 21st. Of January."

Phil blinked at him in surprise. Clint swallowed roughly, lips parting -- no doubt to laugh it off, pretend it had been a joke, and Phil was not going to let that happen. After all, this was _important_ to Clint.

Briskly, he said, "Well? Where's my hug, then?"

The grin Clint gave him was a weak, sickly imitation of the one he'd been wearing not five minutes before.

"It's not -- " Clint started. "I was just -- "

"Clint," Phil interrupted, and Clint's mouth snapped shut. Phil reached out, pulling Clint into a hug as he quietly said, "What's the point of knowing about weird holidays if you don't share the wealth?"

It was awkward at first -- the only time they generally touched was when one or the other of them was gravely injured, barely conscious, or bleeding out. But they got the hang of it quickly, both of them relaxing into the comfort of the embrace.

Phil closed his eyes, drawing in a deep breath full of Clint's scent -- his familiar shower gel and shampoo. It had been very long time since anyone had held him like this, and he wasn't foolish enough to pretend like it hadn't been Clint he'd been longing for when he'd missed this.

He had spent _a lot_ of time over the years theorizing that Clint would give great hugs -- those arms! -- but the daydreams paled next to reality. Clint held Phil tightly, maybe even clinging, but so was Phil, and he was warm and solid, his heart beating strongly -- quickly -- against Phil's chest. The quiet ache of hunger that always lurked within Phil flared with a spike of need, his exhale shuddering from him with the force of it.

Phil opened his eyes to see the same ache on Clint's face, the same loneliness and the same quiet, desperate wish, visible even though Clint's eyes were still tightly closed.

They could keep ignoring this. He could step back, let go, and Clint would, too. They could pretend that it meant nothing, this hug, that it was just a way to celebrate another weird holiday, like the last seven, and they could continue quietly wishing for the same thing from opposite sides of the same office. If he said nothing now, he had a feeling they would keep doing exactly that until one of them came back from a mission alone.

Just the thought made Phil shudder, arms involuntarily tightening around Clint. Clint breathed in and held on just as tight.

"Clint," Phil murmured, his voice rough.

Clint hummed, but he didn't let go, and he didn't open his eyes.

"When is National First Date Day?"

Clint went very still in Phil's arms. After a moment, he relaxed, his eyes fluttering open, and he eased back to look at Phil.

Phil had been the subject of Clint's remarkable focus before, but never like this, never from inches away. His breath caught as Clint searched his face, and he had the faint realization that if he was _very_ lucky, this might be the first of many times he'd get to experience it.

Hope was dawning on Clint's face like the sun, and a smile tugged at his mouth as he said, "Would you believe, this Saturday?"

His eyes were so guilelessly innocent that there was no way in hell he was telling the truth.

Phil couldn't stop the happy laugh that bubbled up. "How fortunate."

"I think so," Clint said with a rakish grin, but it faded as his gaze dropped to Phil's lips. "It's too bad International Kissing Day isn't til July."

Phil's hands tightened on Clint's hips without his conscious thought, and he was suddenly aware just how very close they still were to each other. 

"Oh, I think we'll be celebrating that one a little early," he said, and whatever Clint might have been planning to reply was lost in Phil's kiss.

**END**


End file.
